Fast Miatas
filed in 89 Supra
Question: I’ve been reading all these interesting idea’s reagrding stuffing this and that in miata’s, well here are a few that HAVE been done …….
THE ROD MILLEN TURBO MIATA ……..
Condensed from NOV. 89 ROAD & TRACK …….
The engine in this little beast is a mix of 323 GTX engine components, (like pistons, camshafts, turbo, radiator, and intercooler). it has a rod millen fabricated exhaust manifold with a 2.5in diameter exhaust, and last but not least, brakes from an rx7 turbo. It all added 35lbs to make the car weigh in at just under 2400lbs. Oh I almost forgot, the hp went up to 230/5500rpm!! with torque at 235/5000rpm. 1/4 mi is 14.7 and 0-60 is 6.4 ………
THE MAZDATRIX MIATA (RX7 TURBO ENGINE)
Condensed from FEB. 92 ROAD & TRACK ……..
This one has a 1990 RX7 Turbo stuffed in it. This operation took some serious cutting and welding, like whacking off most of the right half of the subframe to make room for the turbo. In this one the miata get’s the engine, transmission, brakes, rear end and other assorted pieces from the RX7. Looking at the picture in the mag, the exhaust looks like the dual RX7 tips are about a foot apart and centered under the license plate. I think it looks kinda slick, if anything it’s different ?
Horsepower you ask ? 200hp/?rpm(6psi normal) with the wastegate set at 12psi (do you feel lucky setting) 260hp/?rpm, 0-60 6.6 1/4 mi 14.8
THE MONSTER MOTORSPORTS MIATA ……..
(5.0 liter V8)
And of the course the most recent MUSTANG MIATA, (Probably the most feasible for the back yard mechanic)IMO. …….I realize some of this info has already been posted, but here is the whole scoop anyway! This job seemed to go pretty smooth, The engine fit in with only a firewall dinging for the back of the heads. The Ford tranny is actually shorter than the Miata’s, no mods to the tunnel, the stock headers are traded for cast iron. radiator is now 3-core. (don’t know if it’s out of the Mustang) They even kept the A/C, it has new front springs 350lb/in, bigger front sway bar. weight distr. was 50/50 it’s now 54/46. It still has the stock miata rear-end, (later models to have an RX7 rear-end) according to R & T it held up ok, even after some 2nd gear smoke shows at the local drag-strip 
oh ya, 0-60 sub 6 1/4 mi 14 ? the V8 adds about 250lbs.
And that’s all folks ……..
My favorite ? There is something about little car/big motor that sounds good to me !!
Answer: Just what is it with you guys? You take a 230 hp motor and stuff it in a Miata and wax poetic over performance figures like 0-60 in 6.4???? Thats not very fast for a small car running 230 hp, something doesnt sound right. If I recall didn’t the fat overweight Supra Turbo with about the same horsepower go about as fast? My own MX6Gt will run 0-60 times in slight under 7 seconds and that has advertised 145 HP (more like 180 is a safe bet though). Even the RX7 you ceasarianed the engine from runs faster than that!!! Even the Mustang engined Miata everyone was having sexual climaxes over was about as fast as the Mustang from which it got its Engine…..ooooohhh … I mean really what is the big deal.. if you say you have 230 hp in such a small car it had better go faster than that..whats it gonna race with…if he is a tad slow off the mark I guarantee I would blow him away..and he is about as fast as a mustang. which is significantly cheaper..so what is the big deal about the car it is mediocre speed…for about 20grand right??? sorry I’ll wait for a convertible mitsubishi eclipse thankyou
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